Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 2 Hartlepool 1

Skipper Tom Crawford led by example with a stunning late goal against his old club as Altrincham returned to winning ways with a hard-earned victory over Hartlepool United at The J.Davidson Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Keen to bounce back after the disappointment of Saturday's capitulation at Woking, the Robins seized the initiative early on and went in front with a coolly-converted penalty by Kane Hemmings in the 28th minute.

Hartlepool levelled just before half-time, but Alty momentum began to build in the second half, and it came as no surprise when Crawford sealed his side's fourth win of the season with an unerring finish in the 81st minute.

Alty started brightly and created a couple of opportunities to secure what would have been a confidence-boosting early advantage.

First, in only the second minute, Hemmings knocked the ball down to Lewis Banks, who let fly with a 25-yard volley that flashed narrowly wide with keeper Nathan Fisher nowhere near it.

Seconds later, Charlie Kirk weaved his way towards the edge of the area before hitting a right-foot drive that was deflected the wrong side of the same left-hand post.

For all their initial attacking endeavour, the Robins were indebted to defender Sam Barnes for remaining on level terms in the sixth minute.

When a ball was played in from the left, it looked tailor-made for the lurking Will Harris and would surely have presented the Hartlepool striker with a routine close-range finish at the near post but for Barnes reading the danger and nipping in front of him to head behind.

From the resulting corner on the left, Hartlepool had not one but two shots cleared off the line, Barnes being the handily-positioned man to rescue the Robins both times.

Brooklyn Ilunga's pace was starting to cause problems for Alty, and when one lightning-quick burst down the left was followed by a cross towards the far post, it eluded the straining Harris' outstretched boot by the narrowest of margins.

It was turning into a lively, fast-paced first half, and it was adorned with a goal in the 28th minute as Alty went in front.

Kirk floated a left-wing corner towards a congested area, and as attackers and defenders alike jostled for position for the chance of a clean header, referee Declan Brown spotted an infringement and pointed to the spot.

The decision was made in the 27th minute, but we were well into the 28th before order was restored and the penalty could be taken. It made little difference to the vastly-experienced Hemmings, who calmly sent Fisher the wrong way with a perfectly-placed kick.

Alty had pace in the ranks as well, of course, in the shape of Kahrel Reddin, and when the Robins winger cut in from the right and curled a shot with his left foot in the 42nd minute, it wasn't far wide of the far post.

A minute later, Hartlepool stunned the Robins with an equaliser as Ilunga crossed from the left and Jamie Miley forced a header past Andy Firth, the Alty keeper getting a hand to the point-blank effort but unable to stop it crossing the line.

Miley wasn't far away from doubling his personal tally and putting his side ahead in the 49th minute with a fierce rising drive that Firth appeared to fingertip over the bar. Miley certainly thought the Alty keeper got a touch to it, but referee Brown gave a goal-kick, much to the Hartlepool midfielder's dismay.

A minute later, Alty spurned a glorious opportunity to take the lead for a second time.

Kirk curled a ball across the face of the six-yard area towards the far post, where Hemmings looked sure to score into an empty net, only for it to slice off his outstretched right boot and trickle wide.

There was a scare for Alty in the 64th minute when Hartlepool right-back Jay Benn escaped down the right and pulled the ball back to Cole Deeming, whose well-struck first-time effort flew fractionally wide of the right post.

Hartlepool were down to 10 men in the 72nd minute, and it was all down to Hemmings' experience and know-how, as the Alty striker received the ball with his back to goal and cleverly shielded it from his marker Jack Hunter.

When Hemmings then turned and started to edge forward, the outmanoeuvred Hunter could only grab the collar of his shirt in a cynical act that inevitably resulted in a yellow card, his second of the match.

There was a shake of the head by the Hartlepool skipper as he trudged off, but he could have few complaints after so blatantly hauling Hemmings back.

Substitute Jimmy Knowles stung the palms of Fisher in the 76th minute and Liam Humbles dragged an effort wide from an inviting position a minute later as Alty stepped up their quest for a second goal.

Finally, their perseverance was rewarded in the 81st minute with a spectacular finish from Crawford.

The Alty skipper played a one-two on the edge of the area before bursting forward and burying an unstoppable drive past Fisher for what proved to be a well-deserved winner.

Man Of The Match Tom Crawford

Altrincham Firth; Banks, Humbles, Kosylo, Taylor, Reddin (Knowles, 64'), Lopata-White, Crawford (c), Kirk, Barnes, Hemmings (Weaver, 78'. Subs not used: Hinchy, Cooper, Barlow, Breckin, Acquah.

Hartlepool Fisher; Benn, Hunter (c), McNally, Ilunga, Miley, Harris, Sheron, Nolan (Thornton, 78'), Gibson (John, 52'), Deeming (Popov, 78'). Subs not used: Hugill, Penman, Thornton, Bondo, Smith.

HT 1-1

Goals Hemmings 28', Crawford 81' | Miley 43'

Yellows Hemmings 58' | Hunter 24', 73' Miley 41', Deeming 60'

Reds None | Hunter 73'

Referee Declan Brown

Assistants Francis Sibley & Conor Ledgeway

Fourth official Jack Churchill

Attendance 1,466 (218 away)

Next Up

We head for AFC Fylde on Saturday in the Enterprise National League. Kick-off in Lancashire is at 3pm.

Full details on standing and seating tickets for the away section at Mill Farm - plus Union Golf Road away travel - are available here.